The newest places to eat and drink

There are sundaes too, like a knickerbocker glory, strawberry pavlova and banoffee.

If you can’t get enough of waffles or pancakes you could try a topping like banoffee, Eton mess or three chocolate flavours drizzled over banana and strawberries with a scoop of chocolate gelato.

But if a traditional pud with hot custard is more your thing then you might fancy a sticky toffee pudding or apple crumble, for example.

A selection of the very tempting treats on offer at Sweetbean (Image: Grant Melton)

Drinks also include smoothies – a green smoothie featuring spinach, kale, mint and lime; a red smoothie with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries and a pina colada style smoothie with pineapple and coconut water.

A selection of seven types of teas and hot chocolate in milk, dark and white varieties are also on the menu.

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The man behind Sweetbean is Croydon resident Saad Choudhry, who first came up with the idea of a dessert parlour as part of a GCSE project.

Saad Choudhry first came up with the idea for a dessert parlour as part of a GCSE project (Image: Grant Melton)

Saad, 27, explained: “As I studied Biochemistry at university I began getting into speciality coffee and realised the superior taste difference there was from regular branded coffee shops and specialty coffee.

"Once I left university I turned my back on science and decided to go to Italy to learn how to make quality gelato.”

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And he emphasised, he is serving artisan gelato, not ice cream, in both traditional and “funky” flavours. “You have to try it to realise how good it really is,” said Saad.

“You can instantly taste the quality and the difference to anything that is out there.”

The opening on Wednesday was a “soft” launch and Saad is planning a grand opening on the last weekend of January.

Sweetbean has already opened in Boxpark Croydon (Image: Grant Melton)

Explaining he chose Boxpark, Saad said: “I believe Boxpark is the best thing to happen to Croydon in a very long time, with the numerous events it hosts, being family friendly and great place to meet up with friends.

“As a first time start up business, Boxpark was ideal on the cost side but also seeing so many amazing savoury food places it was only befitting for Sweetbean to join them.”

Saad added: “Most people would say nervous but I am really confident in Sweetbean’s two core products of coffee and gelato and cannot wait to share it with the area I have grown up in and love.”